


Olivia's Birthday

by ReleasingmyInsanity



Series: Polyamory AU [10]
Category: Sesame Street (TV)
Genre: Bechdel Test Pass, Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Birthday Party, Canon Character of Color, Central Park, Cute Kids, Deaf Character, Established Relationship, Fluff, Food mention, Gordon and Olivia Robinson are good siblings, Interracial Relationship, Mr. Hooper lives, Multi, POV Character of Color, Polyamory, Sign Language, The Susan Robinson/Gordon Robinson is minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-18 04:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16111025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingmyInsanity/pseuds/ReleasingmyInsanity
Summary: For Olivia's birthday one year, her partners take her to some places she's never been in Central Park before. Then they go back to Sesame Street for the party.





	Olivia's Birthday

Olivia woke up the morning of her birthday feeling happy. She knew her partners had plans to take her somewhere and that there would be the usual birthday party when they got back. People on Sesame Street loved excuses to throw parties.

She remembered to grab her camera bag on the way out the door, there was always something to photograph in New York, even if she knew several shots would be used up on photos of her partners.

The others were waiting for her outside on the sidewalk and greeted her with “happy birthday!” as she came down the steps. She gave each of her partners a quick kiss hello and waved a greeting to everyone else.

Olivia didn’t know where they were going, having asked the others to surprise her, but she was sure it would be fun.

“Remember to be back at five thirty for the party,” Gordon said as he and Susan waved them off.

“Have fun!” Susan added before turning to answer Big Bird’s question about streamers.

Maria slipped her hand into Olivia’s as they walked toward the subway. Linda didn’t take her hand, she needed her hands for signing after all, but she did walk close to Olivia’s other side while their boyfriends walked behind them.

“Where are we going?” Olivia asked, signing for Linda’s benefit and using the one-handed sign for “where” so she didn’t have to let go of Maria’s hand.

“ _It’s a surprise_ ,” Linda told her.

Maria nodded. “We wanted to take you someplace you could get great photos but where you haven’t been dozens of times before.”

“We think you’ll like it,” David added.

Olivia grinned. “I’m sure I will.”

They took the A train to 81st street. Olivia looked around. “I’ve been to Central Park before,” She teased. “We’re not going to the art museum are we? I’m still half convinced we’ll get locked in again, and I don’t want to miss my party.”

Her partners laughed. “No. We’ve found a couple of places we haven’t gone before.” Bob assured her.

“Linda did some research into good photo locations,” Luis added.

“I can’t wait,” Olivia said as they headed for the 79th street transverse.

Halfway down the road they took a path that Olivia had never noticed before. She was not prepared for it to lead to a small castle.

“ _This is it_ ,” Linda told her. “ _Belvedere Castle. Just reopened three years ago._ ”

Olivia immediately reached for her camera. She was going to get some amazing pictures of this.

“You know,” she heard Bob say to Maria. “That looks a lot like The Count’s castle.”

Maria laughed. “It does!”

“ _The Count was the one who suggested we check it out_ ,” Linda signed. “ _He did say it might look familiar._ ”

As Olivia scoped out a good vantage point to get a few distance shots, Linda, who always had a book, pulled out a guidebook and opened it to the section about the castle. Bob read over her shoulder. Olivia was pretty sure he was reading out loud so that she wouldn’t have to turn to see what Linda was signing. Bob knew her so well, when she went into photography mode, she didn’t always pay attention to anything else.

“The castle was originally built in 1869 and didn’t have an interior,” Bob said while Olivia took photos.

“All the stone was mined in the park,” David added, reading over Linda’s other shoulder.

“Belvedere is Italian for ‘beautiful view,’” said Maria.

Olivia turned away from her photography to suggest that they take a closer look and laughed. Luis had joined the others and now they were all gathered around the guidebook trying to read it rather than looking at the actual castle. She clicked the shutter. This was going to be a terrific photo, the stately looking folly in the background and five very silly partners ignoring it in favor of reading the guidebook.

She managed to get their attention and the six went to get a better look at the castle. They spent several hours there, Olivia photographing interesting details in the stone work, and taking photos of the view, and the others examining the exhibits.

“This place is so neat!” Olivia said. “I could take pictures here all day.”

The others smiled. “Well, we _could_ stay here all afternoon,” David said. “But we did have another new place to take you.”

Olivia started to grin, “Let’s go!” She turned to Linda. “ _Where to next_?” She asked.

“ _Follow me_ ,” Linda signed in response, turning to head down another path. Everyone quickly followed. Linda might be short, but she was fast, and they didn’t want to get left behind.

They walked past the Delacort Theater to the great lawn oval. Rather than continuing around the great lawn when they got to the far end they took another footpath through Arthur Ross Pinetum. Olivia loved the Pinetum, it was shady and peaceful and very pretty. There was a playground in the middle, but it was also a great spot for a picnic. She took several pretty pictures as they walked through. The different species of pine trees made for a fabulous backdrop.

They crossed the 86th street transverse to the running track and followed it halfway around the reservoir. Along the track they stopped at a few vendor stalls to buy lunch to eat as they walked. They agreed to detour to the bridle path to walk under Gothic Bridge. It was a favorite spot of theirs. And if they ducked out of the way to kiss for a while, well, who was going to complain?

They continued until they reached east drive and followed it past east meadow and the butterfly gardens before taking the 102nd street crossing and turning down another path. As they got into the trees, the city seemed to melt away in the distance. Suddenly it no longer felt like they were in the middle of Manhattan, it was as though they were now in the woods.

“I hate to tell you,” Olivia said. “But I’ve been to this part of the park before.”

“We know,” Luis told her, smiling. “But there’s a very pretty spot we don’t think you’ve seen.”

Olivia grinned, “I bet you’re right. I haven’t spent much time in this area.”

Bob patted her shoulder, “Someday we’re going to run out of new things to see in the park.”

Olivia laughed. “We are. But I hope that’s not today.”

“It won’t be,” Luis assured her.

Olivia squeezed his arm. She enjoyed walking with Luis and Bob. Being tall was great, but sometimes she got tired of towering over her girlfriends and David. Bob was the same height as her and Luis was taller. It was nice not feeling so out of place height-wise.

They continued down the peaceful path, and finally reached a waterfall.

“ _Here we are_ ,” announced Linda. “ _The Ravine._ ”

“This is beautiful!” Olivia said, reaching for her camera again. Thank goodness she had brought a lot of film. She would need it.

The path lead down to an outcropping of rocks next to the stream, and down again to the bottom of the waterfall. The others sat on the rocks and smiled affectionately as Olivia ran around like a little kid, excitedly taking photos of everything. When she had finally run out of film in her camera she sat down with her partners.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m so glad we came.”

“So are we.”

The six sat together for a while, talking and trading kisses. It was a very peaceful afternoon. Unfortunately, it was soon time to go. They headed out of the park to take the subway home.

They got back to Sesame Street just in time for the party. Susan, Gordon, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Macintosh, and Willy were setting out the food and Big Bird and Petey were calling the kids over to join the party.

Susan and Gordon’s two-year-old son Miles came over to them. “Happy birthday Aunt Olivia,” he said, giving her a hug before wandering off again.

Olivia smiled at her nephew as he resumed playing with the other kids. “Thanks Miles!” She called to him. He didn’t look up, but she hadn’t expected him to.

Gordon joined her with a smile. “I still can’t believe we finally got to bring him home,” he said watching his son play happily. “After so long on the waiting list to adopt. He’s been ours for over a year.”

Olivia grinned at her brother. “You and Susan are great parents. And you got the best son.”

“Thanks sis.” Gordon gave her a hug. Then his grin turned cheeky. “When are you guys going to be parents?” he teased.

Olivia did her best to look offended. “Gordon!” She swatted his arm. But she did couldn’t stop her smile at the thought of being “Mommy” to a sweet little child.

“I’m not sure we’re ready to be parents yet,” she told her brother. “But if we ever decide to do so, I’ll let you know.”

Susan came over and set her hand on Gordon’s shoulder. “Don’t monopolize the birthday girl’s time,” she said with a laugh.

Olivia giggled, suspecting that Susan mostly wanted some time with her husband. Susan’s wink told her she was right. Leaving her brother and sister-in-law to watch their son together, Olivia turned back towards the party.

 By the time the party was over, Olivia had played games with all the children, opened her presents, eaten more sweets than she had really meant to, danced with everyone, and listened to them all sing Happy Birthday led by Big Bird.

“This was the best birthday I’ve ever had.” Olivia told her partners. They were back in her apartment after the party.

Maria laughed from where she was laying on the couch with her head in Olivia’s lap. “You say that every year.”

“Yeah,” came David’s voice from over Olivia’s shoulder. “But I think that’s because she means it every year.”

Olivia turned to look at him. Meeting her gaze, he leaned in and gave her a kiss.

“I’m glad you had a good birthday,” Bob spoke up from his spot on the floor, patting Olivia’s leg.

Beside him, head resting on Olivia’s knee, Linda signed something that Olivia didn’t quite catch as she pulled away from David.

Fortunately, Luis did catch it. “Linda said we’re good at birthdays,” Luis told her, squeezing her shoulder.

David laughed. “And we don’t even age.”

“That’s why we’re the best at birthdays,” Maria spoke up with a teasing tone.

Olivia laughed too. “Lots of practice I guess.”

She relaxed against the back of the couch as they talked quietly. It really had been an excellent birthday, she thought.

“I love you guys,” Olivia said, almost without realizing that she had spoken aloud.

Her partners smiled. “We love you too. Happy birthday Olivia.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sesame Street has been brought to you today by the letters H and O and by the number 17.
> 
> Thanks to Arytra for helping me figure out what the gang would do for Olivia’s birthday.
> 
> I have never been to New York, let alone Central Park, so the scenes there are based entirely off of maps, pictures, the Central Park website, and Wikipedia.
> 
> Olivia’s remark about getting locked in the art museum is a reference to Don’t Eat The Pictures.
> 
> Belvedere Castle was used as the exterior shots of The Count’s Castle for many years, hence the remarks that the two buildings look alike.
> 
> The bit about not aging is part of a very long complicated series of headcanons that Arytra and I have. You can probably safely assume that they don’t age in any story I write. They all stop aging in their 30s so they really haven’t stopped aging for very long at this point.


End file.
